United Nations/New Delhi, April 25 -- Amid the rising bitterness in ties between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has appealed to both nations to exercise maximum restraint and ensure that the situation does not deteriorate any further.

Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, answering a question at the daily press briefing on Thursday, said while the UN Secretary General has not had any direct contact with either of the two nations, "but I can confirm he is following the situation very closely and with very great concern".

Dujarric said that the UN was very clear in its condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack of April 21 in which 26 tourists were killed b...